Following her gold medal win, Simone Biles is hitting back at folks who have negative things to say about her hair or her teammates.
Biles is one of the shining stars of the 2024 Olympics the Women’s USA Gymnastics Team. Also led by Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera, Jade Carey, and Suni Lee, they collectively took home the gold medal in the team competition in Paris, waving “Old Glory” as they stood proud as they were named the best in the world.
Despite the celebration of their achievements, haters continued to target Biles, the most decorated American gymnast in history, including her former teammate MyKayla Skinner Harmer.
Skinner, a member of the 2020 team, reportedly blocked Biles on Instagram after making ill remarks about the team before the games on a now deleted YouTube video. She said, “Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t like what it used to be. A lot of girls don’t work as hard. The girls just don’t have the work ethic.”
Biles is now responding again on social media.
On Tuesday, July 30, Biles took to Instagram page to share a photo of her teammates with their gold medals.
In the caption, she wrote, “Lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions,” igniting a flurry of responses. Those tuned into American gymnastics gossip quickly recognized the shade.
“Mckayla hatin from OUTSIDE the Olympics,” said one person, while another added, “MyKayla Skinner mad jealous and bitter. Acting like a whole Karen.”
A third wrote, “I[f] I Could Show You Better Than I Could Tell You Was A Person!!!”
Her teammate Chiles added, “And that’s on periodt!” while Biles’ husband, Jonathan James Owens, added, “F around and find out.”
Someone else is tickled at the 27-year-old athlete clapping back at critics.
“Y’all @simonebiles is in her ratchet I’m THAT GIRL stage and she can’t be FW,” the person wrote. “She calling all BS period. Let them have it GOAT.”
The Texas native shared four images of the “Golden Girls” team, as they nicknamed themselves, after winning gold in the women’s gymnastics all-around team final on Tuesday. This was seen as a clapback to Skinner Harmer, who had previously made disparaging remarks about the team.
A point of note is that Skinner, herself, has never won a gold medal at the Olympics, was the 2020 Olympic vault silver medalist, competing as an individual, and was an alternate for the 2016 Olympic team.
After she made the stinging comments, which has since been deleted, she later went on the X platform and apologized saying in part, “It was not my intention to offend or disrespect any of the athletes or take away from their hard work.”
— MyKayla Skinner (Harmer) (@mykaylaskinner) July 6, 2024
She blamed her reckless talk on the “emotional and verbal abuse” she endured under the team’s former disgraced coach and coordinator Márta Károlyi.
Skinner’s remarks were so explosive that another retired gymnast, McKayla Maroney, distanced herself from the comments, saying, “It doesn’t get more iconic than this.. She f’d around n found out fr. Feels like I need to apologize just to redeem my first name.”
Despite the apology, Biles took another serious shot at Skinner after the Instagram post, later tweeting, “Oop I’ve been blocked,” with various laughing emojis.
It’s unclear when Skinner “blocked” her former teammate, but it seems that Biles has just discovered this.
oop I’ve been blocked 👀🫢😂
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) July 31, 2024
When Hollywood Unlocked posted the tweet, many people chimed in.
“Being blocked, but still showing up headlining on her timeline must be infuriating,” one person wrote.
Another added, “Lol you may be blocked, but best know she watching EVERYTHING you do green with envy.”
On X, one individual added, “Yes, what Skinner said was indeed tacky. The women who made the USA team deserved it. She in essence called them lazy, saying they “don’t have the work ethic.” Four of 5 are women of color. Four of 5 are returning Olympians who, including Suni, have bravely combatted illness & injury.”
Biles and Team USA have already made their mark on the 2024 Paris Games, but the media darling’s work is not over. She still has one more chance collect gold on Thursday, Aug. 1, at the all-around final.
The champion will compete in the all-around final and the finals for vault, balance beam, and floor exercise. Suni Lee joins Biles in the all-around competition, though Jordan Chiles missed the all-around final due to the two-per-country rule.
Fans believe, for sure, MyKayla Skinner Harmer will be watching closely.
